ABC pre-empts “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” over Kimmel’s Charlie Kirk feedback

ABC confirmed Wednesday that the favored late-night present “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has been “pre-empted indefinitely” following feedback Kimmel made on the present in response to the taking pictures demise of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live can be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson informed CBS News in an announcement. There was no phrase on if or when the present might return. Kimmel’s present has been a staple of the community because it started airing in 2003.

CBS News has reached out to Kimmel’s representatives for remark.     

ABC’s announcement got here after media large Nexstar introduced in a information launch that it will pre-empt Kimmel’s present indefinitely on all its stations over Kimmel’s remarks.

“Mr. Kimmel’s feedback in regards to the demise of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a vital time in our nationwide political discourse, and we don’t imagine they mirror the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the native communities by which we’re situated,” mentioned Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, in an announcement. “Continuing to provide Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform within the communities we serve is just not within the public curiosity on the present time, and we’ve made the tough determination to preempt his present in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we transfer towards the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”

Nexstar owns and operates greater than 200 stations nationwide. It’s unclear what number of of these are ABC associates.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, one other main station proprietor, additionally mentioned it was pulling the present.

“Due to problematic feedback relating to the homicide of Charlie Kirk in programming offered to broadcast stations by ABC, Sinclair and its companions, which function ABC stations in 30 markets within the U.S., will cease airing Jimmy Kimmel’s present till additional discover,” the corporate mentioned.

Sinclair mentioned it should as a substitute air a “particular in remembrance of Charlie Kirk throughout Jimmy Kimmel Live timeslot” on Friday.

The firm additionally known as on Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s household and make a “significant private donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”

“Regardless of ABC’s plans for the way forward for this system, Sinclair intends to not return ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ to our air till we’re assured that applicable steps have been taken to uphold the requirements anticipated of a nationwide broadcast platform,” Sinclair mentioned.

Kimmel made the remarks in his monologue Monday, suggesting allies of President Trump have been making an attempt to make use of Kirk’s assassination for political achieve. 

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang making an attempt to characterize this child who murdered Charlie Kirk as something aside from one in every of them, and doing all the pieces they’ll to attain political factors from it,” Kimmel mentioned. 

In a Truth Social publish Wednesday evening, Mr. Trump, who’s at present within the United Kingdom for a state go to, wrote that the “scores challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” though ABC didn’t say that Kimmel’s present has been canceled and has not indicated what its plans are for the present shifting ahead. 

“Congratulations to ABC for lastly having the braveness to do what needed to be finished,” Mr. Trump mentioned. 

Mr. Trump went on to assault Stephen Colbert, host of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which is in its closing season on CBS, in addition to Jimmy Fallon, host of “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” and Seth Meyers, host of “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” each on NBC. 

“Kimmel has ZERO expertise, and worse scores than even Colbert, if that is doable,” Mr. Trump wrote. “That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two whole losers, on Fake News NBC. Their scores are additionally horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”

CBS News has reached out to NBC for remark. 

In a podcast interview earlier Wednesday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr referred to Kimmel’s feedback as “a few of the sickest conduct doable,” and mentioned there was a “path ahead for suspension over this.”

“The FCC goes to have cures we may take a look at,” he mentioned.

In a social media publish previous to ABC’s affirmation that it was pre-empting the present, Carr praised Nexstar for its determination.

“I wish to thank Nexstar for doing the fitting factor,” Carr wrote. “Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the general public curiosity. While this can be an unprecedented determination, it is vital for broadcasters to push again on Disney programming that they decide falls wanting group values.”

The Writers Guild of America, which represents the writers on Kimmel’s present, mentioned in an announcement Wednesday evening, “As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anybody who makes use of their energy and affect to silence the voices of writers, or anybody who speaks in dissent. If free speech utilized solely to concepts we like, we needn’t have bothered to write down it into the Constitution. What we’ve signed on to — painful as it might be at instances — is the releasing settlement to disagree.”

“Shame on these in authorities who neglect this founding reality,” the WGA added. “As for our employers, our phrases have made you wealthy. Silencing us impoverishes the entire world.”

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted on social media following the transfer: “America is supposed to be a bastion of free speech. Everybody throughout the political spectrum ought to be talking out to cease what’s occurring to Jimmy Kimmel. This is about defending democracy. This should go to court docket.”

Backlash over feedback

Amid heightened rigidity over the difficulty of political violence within the wake of Kirk’s killing, plenty of individuals have misplaced their jobs for controversial feedback. 

MSNBC fired analyst Matthew Dowd after he mentioned in an on-air dialog that Kirk had pushed incendiary speech and that “hateful ideas result in hateful phrases, which then result in hateful actions.” In a public assertion, Comcast accused Dowd of constructing “an unacceptable and insensitive remark about this horrific occasion.”  

Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah wrote in a Substack publish Monday that the corporate dismissed her final week after she spoke out “in opposition to political violence, racial double requirements, and America’s apathy towards weapons,” noting that she solely referred to Kirk as soon as in a separate social media publish. 

A Washington Post spokesperson declined to remark when reached by CBS News.

A U.S. Secret Service agent was additionally placed on depart and his safety clearance revoked for expressing unfavourable opinions about Kirk in a social media publish following the killing. 

In a memo to workers offered to CBS News, Secret Service Director Sean Curran mentioned politically motivated assaults within the United States are on the rise, and workers should not exacerbate the issue. 

“Let me be clear, politically motivated assaults in our nation are growing — seemingly on daily basis,” Curran wrote. “The women and men of the Secret Service have to be targeted on being the answer, not including to the issue.” 

Megan Cerullo,

Nicole Sganga and

Jennifer Jacobs

contributed to this report.